Thursday 6 May 2021

Mystery Solved, Tiny Stitching, Sawtooth Stars, Christmas Gift in May

 Can you spy her?

She froze and I moved close enough to get this photo; I really didn't want to disturb her foraging.
That's a little snow on the ground on Monday early morning. I took this photo of the marsh frozen over.
The Canada Geese have moved in and several always settle in on the little pond for a short while. 
I got my Christmas gift from Hubby recently. This book, The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson. that I wanted had been out of print and it took this long to get a reprint copy. It's simply beautifully illustrated with lots of well written prose and such a legacy to Graeme's lifelong love of birds.  Graeme was Margaret Atwood's husband and died of dementia complications in 2019. 
I've been stitching umbrellas on the Hawk Run Hallow April block very suited to May with all the rain and cool, gloomy days we have had so far.  
A couple more of the Sawtooth Stars have been sewn. Honestly can't remember if I shared these or not. 
Almost time for me to think of what to do with them, eek.


 On my list to try sometime...frozen phyllo pastry. It pops up from time to time in recipes and looks so easy and delicious. I think I tried it once for a salmon recipe but I forget.  I make my own pastry but why bother if I can just buy this much flakier version.  Any suggestions for using it that you've tried??

Lastly MYSTERY SOLVED! Those of you who guessed raccoon were right!  He's still at it actually as the lid is on the ground again this morning. Clever little beasts!

So happy as always to share this post with the following link up parties:- Not Afraid of ColorLife in the ScrapatchesViewing Nature With EileenMy Corner of the WorldSo ScrappyKathy's Quilts and Paying Ready Attention.


30 comments :

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Lovely picture of the deer. I was surprised by one in a small woods beside the road the other morning, I could see their glowing eyes. I don't see deer around here often, sadly. Love your sawtooth stars they are so pretty. The books looks awesome. I used phyllo dough to make spinach pie. Jeff loved it.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I used the pastry dough to make some hot sandwiches for a get together a couple years ago at Xmas - don't remember the recipe off hand but you put thin slices of ham and swiss and mustard - roll it up and bake and slice.
I didn't spot the deer in the first photo but after I saw the close up I went back to look and found her

Home Sewn By Us said...

Good morning, Jocelyn! Gosh, your sawtooth blocks are gorgeous. I don't think you've shared them before (or I missed them). The center on that first block is spectacular! What a lovely quilt this will be when you've put them all together. Frozen phyllo - I have made several things with them but don't have a recipe. I took a whole batch of stuffed pastry tubes (like a fat cigar shape) filled with beef and cheese and mild peppers that were a hit. I've also used it for a dessert where I cut them into squares, placed in small cupcake tins, prebaked, and then filled with a sweetened cream cheese mix with fruit on top. Those were a big hit, too. They are quite versatile. ~smile~ Roseanne

Angela Tucker said...

I completely missed the deer in the first photo. LOL A bit like "Where's Waldo?" I love to sit on my back patio and listen to the birds. We have the most annoying bushes in back, but the birds enjoy the little berries. Sigh.
I guess they'll stay.

Christmas in May? Definitely need to add that to my calendar. I'm sure I could work up a list.

Your quilt pieces are lovely. Such beautiful colors and prints.

Have a wonderful day!!

Brian's Home Blog said...

That deer sure is a pretty thing and yes, those raccoons can be very clever indeed!

Jenn Jilks said...

I love seeing the deer in the forest like that. They sure know to stand still.
It has been a great month for warm tasks! I'm ready for warmth!

CathieJ said...

Put some mint in the garbage can or get Mint-X garbage bags. The raccoons don't like them and will stay away. I do that at my mom's house and we no longer have to clean up garbage. Love the deer photo and those quilt blocks. Your cross-stitch looks good. So glad you finally got your Christmas present.

Sherrie said...

Hi Jocelyn,
Awesome photo of the deer. I didn't find it in the first one, but went back and found her. We are having the same kind of weather here. Cold and rainy. I'm so ready for some warm weather.
Your book looks great...I'll have to check this one out. Maybe I'll figure out what the names of some of the birds around here. Your Hawk Run Hollow piece is coming along nicely. I like your Sawtooth Stars...red is one of my favorite colors. Have a great day!

piecefulwendy said...

Oh, those sawtooth star blocks are lovely! Nice capture of the deer. You have lovely grounds to walk! I haven't seen that book before; I'll have to mention that to my daughter and see if she knows of it. She has a whole library of bird books, so if you are looking for suggestions, let me know and I'll ask her. I haven't tried phyllo dough yet either, but I see it in several recipes.

QuiltGranma said...

Love your colorful table topper under the book. Glad you were able to get a copy!

Linda said...

Love your camouflaged deer photo. Seeing deer on our acreage is one of the few things I miss about our old residence. Haven't seen any here, but there are cows at the end of the block - lol! Good luck with the phyllo dough. My husband loves baklava, but I've never attempted it!

MissPat said...

Deer can blend in so well with their surroundings that they can be hard to see. Can't help with wither phyllo dough or raccoons. Your stars will make a stunning quilt. We're stuck in a bit of gloomy cold weather too, and last night the weatherman said it will be unseasonably cold for the next ten days. So much for getting the annuals planted. The scouts will deliver some hanging baskets on Sat and I'll have to figure out how to protect from the chilly nights.
Pat

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Great pictures as usual, and the star blocks are outstanding. I am still not a cross stitcher.... Need to really quit watching those new movies (latest one was The Little Things with Denzel Washington - another block buster of his! Have a great week-end! Hugs

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Jocelyn, I enjoyed your Outstanding Blogger post so much! I'm not sure I knew you were a teacher. I always enjoy your photos of your property and the wildlife you see there. That looks like a wonderful bird book, and a lovely gift from your hubby!

Miaismine said...

What a lovely picture of the deer! Your projects are so very pretty! My, that header picture is so well done - I love the lighting and shadows!

Radka said...

Lovely pictures from your walk.
I like your bright blocks!
xx

PaintedThread said...

Lovely outdoor photos! We've had tons of rain here, too, whic I have been enjoying. Your stars are pretty. I had a mini-meat hand pies recipe I used for tea parties. And my aunt had a Greek spinach recipe that called for phyllo, too. Good stuff.

Karen said...

What a wonderful book. It's on my wish list too.
I make puff paste from scratch every Christmas. It's easy peasy but time consuming. The recipe I use, by Anna Olsen, makes a pretty big batch that lasts us well into spring. It makes AMAZING sausage rolls!

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jocelyn,
The book sounds wonderful, I will see if I can find it. Pretty capture and sighting of the deer, they are always nice to see. Your needlework and star blocks are pretty. I have tried making pie crust but never the puff pastry. It is easy just to buy it, I would use it make apple turnovers. I hope all is well, stay safe! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend! PS, thank you for the visit and comment on my blog.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I spied the deer but had to look really closely. We don't often use phyllo pastry so can't make any suggestions I'm afraid. Not surprising your mystery turned out to be a raccoon - they're incredibly smart.

betty-NZ said...

Such a lovely visitor, unlike the raccoons! Loving the quilt a lot. I've seen a lot of recipes for the pastry, but never used it myself. I see you have some great suggestions here already :)

It's great to see your post at 'My Corner of the World' this week!

Adam Jones said...

Not easy to see those deer. They're not keen to be found.

Maggie said...

Nature always stops us in our tracks. Hubby is into the bird photography and I go along to enjoy time spent outdoors and to spot the birds. Beautiful projects in vibrant colour.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Love, love, LOVE those fussy cut Sawtooth Stars in RED for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!

Veronica Lee said...

I enjoyed the lovely photos from your walk.

Happy Sunday!

Rose said...

I love your sawtooth stars. I have not read about the mystery, but my daughter had a container with a lid that screws on, and the coons managed to get in it! I did spy the deer in the first pic without expanding the view! I surprised myself with that one.

K Reeves said...

I am catching up on your crafty news here and your incredible photography. The deer photo, and the owls, wow! The red star blocks are so cheerful! I loved seeing your answers to the blogger questions, getting to know you better is a treat!

Anu said...

Hello. Great photos of nature. Those stars are gorgeous.
Have a nice day.

Angie said...

Jocelyn - how wonderful to get a "late" Christmas present - this looks like a book to be treasured for years to come. And your stars in the orange hues really appeal to me! Hope you have some brighter and warmer days ahead!

dq said...

Your book sounds like a very thoughtful gift.